


Mechanical Heart

by erihan



Series: PersonaL Monsters [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, More monster boy stuff, there will be sex later, this time featuring automaton goro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-01-24 19:14:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21343309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erihan/pseuds/erihan
Summary: Mementos Junkyard is a place that always has something you need even if you dont know you're seeking it at the time. Ryuji is the caretaker who hasnt set foot outside in years, Goro is finally free from his selfish creator, perhaps their meeting is also meant to be.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Sakamoto Ryuji
Series: PersonaL Monsters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1511786
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Eyy i finally got myself to write something out, theres three other prompts in this series but ill probably make more after

The place now known as Mementos Junkyard has in fact existed for a very long time, a heap of treasure and rubbish that still draws those looking for something they are missing to this day. And they will find it, though it may come at a price or not be exactly what they're looking for.

The earliest surviving story is of a young baroness and a painter who met within its then labyrinthian depths, he had come searching for inspiration that eluded him and finding instead a lady’s embroidered handkerchief. Returning the lost item that had been carried there by the breeze sparked a relationship that many believe went beyond mere patron and artist, his masterpiece “The Goddess Among the Roses” being the biggest indication.

Another story tells of a brilliant young prince who had lost faith in himself wandering in the gloom of twilight and returning with a glimmering crystal star upon his breast. A badge of courage needed to stand up for himself against the court that mocked his slim figure, and of courage to take the dour young jester’s hand and roam the world. 

There's also persistent whispering of the ill young woman and the aspiring boxer who found a bitter medicine that could cure her at the price of slumbering for five whole years. Though they moved away a decade ago, and some think the illness was just a made up excuse for them to elope. 

Or the more recent rumor of that famous heir who found his beloved butler’s pocket watch in the piles, a place there's no logical reason for it to be within. Further rumors insist that it was used as the engagement item for his husband instead of ring. A coy smile is the only response to the probing questions.

This was the sort of place the desperate woman ran into with her only son, a prayer for sanctuary the only thing in her mind. And sanctuary was granted, for a while. Her enraged husband eventually found her and dragged her back outside to the world that looked down upon her for not keeping her silence in the face of his violence. But she did not despair, for her dear child still remained safe within the small cottage in the middle of the maze too big to possibly be contained within the physical borders of the place. There she promised him he would stay safe and sound so long as he never ever tried to leave the safety he had been granted.

Of course sometimes Ryuji wanted to go outside, but then there would be no caretaker and some selfish person would quickly turn the place into a garbage dump. Besides he wants for nothing, there's his little house with its mismatched shingles and small garden, and hes befriended the deliveryman who always brings him his groceries. It had startled him the first time there was a knock on his door right on time (the old guy always took an extra hour and a half), and it turned out tAkira just followed his pet cat through the junkyard. Morgana was a little terror outside of his little guide duty, the catmint still hasnt grown back from the time he feasted on it. 

“Hey Akira, you still haven't been able to find anything out about mom?”

“No sorry, I asked around a lot but everyone said the same thing as last time.”

“I thought that kid had always lived there alone among the junk heaps”, the words were repeated everywhere he had checked. But there's no way they could be true, especially since Ryuji is around his age, but its like all trace of his parents had vanished. He helped when he could, but college kept him busy so quite often the only free time would be this once a week delivery. The tip was different each time, but always cherished; a bracelet heavy from real silver, a glass marble that seemed to contain a shifting galaxy, or more mundane things like cat toys for Morgana. Like them he treasures the time he can spend here in the mismatched house with his strange lonely friend. 

“I still don't understand why you don't want to have another little get together. You seemed to not mind Yuuki and Futaba.” 

“I don't hate them...I'm just...not used to it being lively.” 

Treasure hunters and the lost souls that were drawn in was one thing, but the little gathering had been warm and cheerful in a way that made his heart hurt. Ryuji knows he won't say no to another one sometime in the future, but not just yet. Besides there was a sudden dumping of a lot of small things like tangled jewelry and forgotten stuffed animals that he has to try and sort through. No one would be able to find what they're looking for if its unreachable. So he walks Akira to the gate as always, and politely refuses the invitation to step outside, before going off to give some order to the maze. 

Also as usual is the frustration to see someone has dumped stuff that belong in the garbage instead of his wonderful treasure heap, there's tattered curtains and a rug that looks like it was ripped up from the carpet all in a heap. No one wants something that doesn't have any use so he busies himself trying to separate usable material from rags. As a royal blue brocade is carefully rolled up to be used later, he got the fright of his life. Screaming, because in the middle of the rug was a *body* still in what looked to be a wedding suit. (Though did men normally wear a tiara and veil too?)

A beat. Two...He stares at it from where he stumbled to the floor with a sort of horror that hell have to call people from *outside* to deal with this. Its a young man too, with soft looking brown hair, though the obvious quality of his suit means he must have been rich. There's no movement in his chest so the guy is dead for sure...gathering up his courage Ryuji picks up a nearby walking stick and pokes at the body”s side.

Its surprisingly heavy, not budging an inch, weird he thought they got lighter after a while. Against his better judgement he steps closer, close enough to see...seams? They are seams just like a doll’s around the young man’s fingers and neck...its an automaton. 

“Who the hell would throw something as expensive as you away?”

There's no answer of course, but at least now he knows what to do. If it was thrown away for being broken hell just fix it, then Akira cant say hes alone here anymore. It takes a while since the doll is heavy, but there's now an automaton on his shitty springless couch. Ryuji has worked on them before, sometimes someone will come in looking for parts or something they can use to adorn themselves. Robotically (hah), he sets to work removing the expensive suit and checking all the parts and runic engravings for damage...and finds none? Not a scratch or worn out rune anywhere, which means the doll was thrown away after being deactivated for whatever reason. He sighs, there wasn't even any reason to get his rune etching tool out. As Ryuji goes to put it away it catches his finger, biting deep so crimson blood spills onto the automaton’s chest and sinking into the engravings.

“Ow, shit..!” 

...Goro decides those were simply the most undignified words he has ever woken up to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goro goes extreme himedere here, arrogant little shit. Love him anyway.

Having now spent a solid week within the junkyard and in Ryuji's company, Goro was forced to admit he wasn't nearly as crude as he had first seemed. Clearly he cared for his strange little mismatched house and the junkyard he dwelled within, though the alarm system made of strings of bells seemed unnecessary given it was always the wind.

"But one day it won't be, and I refuse to be caught off guard when he comes."

"Who?"

"My father."

That was something to ponder about, the haunted look in Ryuji's eyes, and the way his hands trembled ever so slightly. Talking to the delivery man did not help since he claimed no knowledge of the events that led to the caretaker inhabiting this place. Goro was shifting through the piles looking for stuff since apparently having his own room meant he could keep whatever possessions he liked inside it. So far he had a clever little glass bird that would take delicate sips from a cup of water, several tiny strangely shaped bottles, and very pretty rocks he wasn't aware were geodes. Shelves were easy to build, so his collection grew a little every day. 

He named the bird Donut, and Ryuji helped him make a little collar for it. With that he was settled enough that Goro had time to evaluate his body condition. The blood that reactivated him was rich in mana, so that wasn't a problem, however the materials used to fix the damage from the gunshot were cheap and not worthy of being a part of his body. Ryuji hadn't done it, so he can only assume that it was done to make him look like a human body so he'd be left to rot.

“Master, we need to go into town and get me proper parts benefiting my status.”

“I told you not to call me that, and what's wrong with what we have around here?”

“Those are all for *common* automata! I am a GRAND HIME series. The crown jewel of them in fact! I demand parts worthy of me.”

“...We would have to go into town for that.”

“I understand you have some reservations with that, however cheap replacements will wear out my delicate internal systems.” 

“I cant.” 

“What if you had a disguise? Surely that little mouse of a deliveryman would be able to help.” 

“I doubt you could figure one out that would make me unrecognizable.” 

Goro took that as a challenge, he would make a disguise so perfect no one would be able to recognize his poor master. Rummaging through the piles got him a lovely sun hat with silk roses that had been ruined by water, and a lovely pair of boots that were abandoned for want of new laces. Humans really were odd, throwing things that still had use away because they didn't want to put the time into caring for them. The delivery boy, Akira as Ryuji reminded him for the fifteenth time, helped him get a nice sundress, nothing too body hugging and just flowy enough it would work out. Now to get Ryuji on board with it.

“That's not going to work, I’ll just look ridiculous.”

“Just give it a try, if you don't like it, after that I will just go with the de-Akira to get the parts I need.”

“Fine.”

And that was how a very smug Goro got to his current situation: “Bartering” with the dealer in a high end department store over the replacement parts he needed while Ryuji tried very hard not to touch anything. The hat covered his face perfectly and the dress hid his figure, still it was obvious he wasn't exactly comfortable so Goro gives in at a little higher than he actually wanted to pay, he got a good deal on his previous equipment after all.

“What do you say about a quick stop before returning?”

“I don't know, we took a lot of time there…”

“Do you want some fresh pastries? I will treat you this time as my thanks. Come on this way!”

Juno’s was a rather small shop, but the display paired with the smell alone caused Goro to pick it as their destination right away. He made Ryuji go pick a seat so he could take his time selecting delicacies to feed him. While the automata could eat human food if he really wanted to, it often wasn't worth the trouble, besides he wants to watch his cute Master enjoy his hand picked delicacies. With the utmost confidence he brings them over to the table and selects the mocha macaron. 

“Say ‘Ahh”.”

“Ahh-mmph.” 

CUTE. Ryuji was so cute eating that pastry like it's the most delicious thing he's had in years. (It was in fact the most delicious thing he has ever eaten.) Goro gets so excited by the sight he barely gives him time to finish it before starting to stuff an eclair in his mouth, then a sesame cream puff, then a mango jelly. 

“Tha...that's enough, I can't eat any more.”

“But there's still a few left.”

“We can just take it with us.”

Then he could watch Ryuji enjoy at least one a day, what a good idea. 

“That look is a bit creepy dude.”

“You are cute though.” 

“Thats…”

Was that a note of self hatred? Unacceptable. This is who Goro chose as a Master, he didnt have to wake up even if the blood was laden with wondrous mana. Hated himself is saying that Goro has terrible taste, and one thing he will not forgive. However, that talk can wait till they return, he gathers the remaining treats in a bag and takes Ryuji’s hand to start the walk. 

Ryuji had been anxious all day, what ifs running through his head nonstop. And then they went into a store that looked like it cost more than the entire contents of his junkyard and he had to be extra sure not to bump into or dirty anything. He wasn't able to relax until they were seated with a small mountain of sweets. Goro’s eyes had sparkled when he had finished the most amazing sweet he'd ever tasted, but then they kept coming. Luckily it didnt take much to convince the automata to go home, but...his grip on Ryuji’s hand was oddly tight the whole way back. 

Had he done something wrong? Apparently so, since Goro ley go as soon as they got back to the cottage and faced him with fire in his eyes.

“Ryuji, you are *my* Master, correct.” 

“Uh I guess, but-”

“Yes or no.”

“Yes, then.”

“And who and what am i?”

“Goro..? I dont understand what youre getting at.”

“I am Goro, Crown Jewel of the Gran Hime series of masterwork automata. What do you think that means?” “

What does it make you?” He wants to ask.

“It means you are really expensive?”

“That's not wrong, however that's not the answer I was looking for. I am this much of a wonderful existence and I have chosen you.”

“Well that's flattering, but-”

“No buts, I chose you.” 

“Let me get this straight...You're mad at me because I’m not good enough for you?”

“Must you try my patience? I chose you because you are worthy of me. My judgement is never wrong so you're just going to have to accept that you have a place by my side. Saying otherwise is telling me I have bad judgement.” 

Ryuji looks like he was going to protest, but the alarm bell string on the south wall clangs and he freezes up in fear. All Goro can do is sigh and hand the bag of treats over.

“Put those in the fridge, I will check it out then be back to continue this discussion right away.”

He takes off before there can be an answer, it should just be another racoon to chase out. His legs carry him swiftly to the still sounding bells...and a rather rough looking man almost over the fence. 

Their eyes meet. Mechanical gold and a familiar shade of honey brown. 

“Well shit.” Goro will have to apologize to his Master for not believing him now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting into the meat of things and Shido and Ryuji's dad being scum. Im sorry in advance for the image of Shido threatening to rip a certain anatomical part off with his bare hands

There was no mistaking that this man had to be related to Ryuji. Though his build was more square and his face dirty from grime, the eyes had the same touch of gold within warm brown. And it absolutely pisses him off. How dare this _piece of shit_ share any of the features he loves about his dear master? 

"I suggest you leave before I throw you out like the garbage you are."

"It's not closed today, I'm allowed to be here!"

"Maybe if you had gone through the front entrance and not the south wall near the jewelry piles."

"What are you going to do, escort me out? You'd probably break a nail."

Goro does not break a nail, however the man's arm makes a wonderful snapping sound as he wrenches it backwards to lead him out "gently". The chorus of pained cursing was music to his ears capped off with the sound of a body being thrown into cardboard boxes. Goro watches as the bastard stumbles away clutching his broken arm. It's almost amusing, except it means he has to go tell his master he was right.

* * *

Daiyama Sakamoto was furious, his fast track to quick cash was blocked off by some stupid pretty boy, and his damn arm was broken; he had debts to pay. If only that damn woman hadn't hidden his original payment somewhere, he'd be sitting pretty and rich right now. His external cursed went silent when the limo stopped right next to him, no doubt that man demanding to know why neither mana wellspring nor money had been offered up yet. All attempts to talk to the man in black who was driving was ignored, Daiyama started to sweat. *_He_* must be angry, so begging for his life it would be. 

“Would you mind telling me why you haven't fulfilled your end of the bargain?”

“I swear, I would have gotten the money-” 

A sudden vice grip on an **uncomfortable** place has Daiyama wincing.  


“If you want to keep this worthless adornment I suggest you either find me the boy, or return the full amount of money I paid you to create him.”

“I could just make another, surely it will work since you sought me out in the first place.”

“You could have if you hadn't accidentally killed the compatible woman, thats a rare recessive gene we’re talking about here.” 

The grip tightens to just short of being agonizing.

“What is your excuse for messing up so bad you come to me with a broken arm and nothing to show for it?”

“I would have had the money, except some stupid pretty boy with fucking armor on broke my fucking arm!”

The hand suddenly releases, and he sinks to his knees in relief. 

“What did this “_Pretty boy_’s” armor look like?”

“I dunno, white? Fancy? Stuck up brat moved too fast.”

“His hair color? Eyes?” Why was this nutcase getting so excited?

“Brown and uh...red? But it could have been the lighting.”

  
  


Shido couldn't believe his luck, there was a nearly one hundred percent chance this idiot is talking about that little escapee. A grin splits his face from ear to ear, that **thing** was deactivated so the only thing that could awaken it would be blood with a large amount of magical energy inside it, given the rarity; that humble junkyard contains all he needs to continue making his pretty little dolls. The last raw material he managed to obtain was only good for one subpar doll that he simply could not reveal at the spring show. 

“I need you to go back to that place and obtain information on the caretaker for me.” No harm in being cautious. 

“Are you draft?! My **arm** is broken! I can't do a damn thing against that freak!”

“I’ll give you a premium grade mage arm, would that suffice?” Even this idiot should be able to understand the reading display. 

How pathetic, really Shido wouldn't deal with such a miserable, easily pleased mongrel if it wasn't convenient for his less reputable affairs. Dismissing the man, he decides to walk through his workshop to make sure its in proper order, the world’s most premier automata maker has **_standards_** after all. He passes the doll made from the last material he obtained and sneers, that girl wasn't good for anything except practice if *he* couldn't turn her into something exceptional. No matter, even his miserable scrap of a son couldn't compare to a living wellspring carefully bred into existence solely to be processed into the needed cores. 

* * *

Akira was on his rounds, Morgana at his heels as always. It was a nice day, gentle breeze catching his hair and making it fluffier than ever, and then he noticed a man so clearly suspicious it was almost a joke. Anyone with a glowing mage arm in broad daylight shuffling around with that much care was up to no good. A sane person would have simply altered the police and then kept out of the way, however, that man is skulking awfully close to the junkyard. Akira is many things, but cautious when his friends are in danger isn't one of them. Morgana is told to go find “that stuck up automaton”, and then he walks right up the a man that clearly has to be related to Ryuji on second glance. 

  
  


“Can I help you Sir?” 

He is in his delivery uniform, not many people would mess with the people who supply them with their needed goods. The man startles momentarily...and then his face twists into a smile that has his gut sinking.

“_Perhaps you can._” 

There was a flash of light that was somehow murky brown and Akira knew no more. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eyyy, its over! Thanks to my darling girlfriend Avi for motivation, and Indigo for some of the ideas

"Honestly? It's not your fault, it's mine."

"Boss-"

"Hush, I should have realized that you just weren't cut out for the job. I mean, how many times did you mess up? 

One, two, three, and now you didn't even bring me the one thing I asked for."

"I'm sorry! I wont mess up again!"

Shido paused, taking the time to drink in the man...no the garbage's look of utter despair. 

Delicious.

"Of course you won't."

There it is, a fool's hope, Shido doesn't bother keeping the grin off his face knowing it will shatter.

"Because I'm throwing you away with all the other combustible trash like a responsible member of society." 

* * *

Under Shido's company workshop was a basement. And in that basement were heaps of discarded objects, mostly automata parts, but here and there were scraps of clothing that were simply too cheap to have belonged to doll prototypes. It wasn't like he regularly threw people down there, just every once in a while as a lesson. Besides, scavengers were allowed in from time to time so it wasn't like the fatality rate was high. That's Shido”s justification at least. 

After being told he was not up to their standards, they threw him down a hole, Akira feels stinging pain from his nose, he's managed to land it a way that wedged it between two cold hard spheres. From the blood gushing out, it's probably broken, he sits up slowly and tilts his head back, with any luck it will stop soon and he can figure out how to get out of here. 

“Please get off of me.” 

The hard spheres he had broken his nose on were the breasts of an automata, she was lovely and slightly irritated that he did not comply right away. 

“Sorry, are you alright? Your leg…”

“Probably from the impact of being thrown down here. If you would please find me a leg from the parts around here?”

“They still have people attached to them.”

She shakes her head softly, at least the girl is patient unlike Akechi.

“They're all empty. I was too till you happened to wake me up by offering blood.” 

“That was an accident.”

“It doesn't make a difference, we’re in this together now, Master.” 

“Master? I don't remember agreeing to this.” He’d rather have a friend or partner than a servant.

“All of the Grand Hime series acknowledge as Master the one who offers magic laced blood. Im the “Tsubaki” model...but...please call me Hifumi.” 

“In that case call me Akira, not Master, will this leg fit?”

“It will suffice.” The color doesn't really match but they might not have the luxury of being picky right now. 

He had helped Ryuji with his stuck up automata once, so removing the smashed stump and replacing it with the stocking designed leg wasn't too hard. Hifumi really was lovely...and no longer nude as he had insisted she take his shirt and jacket. Akira shakes his head lightly, no need to start his nosebleed anew, they need to find a way out of this place. 

There's no windows, a single locked door and the high up hole he presumes they both were dropped in from. While Akira had been attempting unsuccessfully to stack things to reach it, she had been shifting through the parts, eventually picking an arm that looked like it belonged to a security automata and asking his help to affix it. Just as they finished there was a noise from above, irritated shouting and a scream that ended in a crash as someone was flung onto the pile of scrapped automata bodies Akira had stacked. 

“Augh, fuckingsonofabitch!!!!!”

It's the man who had brought him here in the first place, the one who had cursed loudly when he didn't turn out to be a “Wellspring” whatever that was. Akira only knew because he woke up during the mana measuring process, and now that same man has managed to get impaled on a broken arm. The twitching reminds him of an insect trapped in a spider web, even the screams were like a fly’s horrid buzzing. 

“Mas...no, Akira, what do you want to do? Put him out of his misery?” She seems to be thinking the same thing, a coldness in her eyes as she gazes at the struggling man. 

“Might as well, if only to prevent a headache from the squaling.” 

It was indeed a security arm, though Akira is pretty sure it's illegal for them to have actual bullet shooting guns inside their arms.

* * *

That damn cat won't shut up, Ryuji is trying to sleep so of course Akechi is annoyed at it. Its Master wasn't even there with it, so why should he take any notice when it probably just wants canned tuna again? His frown deepens when his dear sweet Master wakes from the nap he very clearly needed. 

“Why is Morgana screaming so much? Did Akira get himself buried in the jewelry pile again?”

“Kurusu did not accompany the cat this time, I would have heard his footsteps.”

“That's not good.” 

Ryuji isn't surprised at how frantic the cat is anymore, he never leaves Akira’s side outside of the junkyard, not even when his friend is trying to take a shower. Something happened and he's prepared to leave the junkyard to find out what. Akechi of course has objections, he's overprotective. 

“I could take care of it myself, your father-”

“If my father has anything to do with this, it's all the more reason to go and find out. That's my friend that's missing.”

“But...will you be okay?”

“I won't lie. I am absolutely terrified, butas you yourself said: the outside world isn't out to get me, there's good people there. And we’re going to go save one of them.’ 

The cat leads them swiftly to a place Goro thought he would never see again, one he hoped never to see again? Oddly, this place should be remembered fondly as the place of his birth, where he was made, but sickly cold rage is burning in his veins. Memories bubble up unbidden, of a boy who tried so hard to please his only remaining blood relative, who let them painfully drain the magic from his blood almost to the very last drop...only to hear he was going to be thrown away. It explains his memory of being shot despite no such injury existing when Ryuji had woken him up, the last dregs of magic in his blood must have led to this, it only strengthens his resolve to protect Ryuji. 

There's already commotion on the upper floors when they enter the lobby, the cat rushes off in one direction, but he stops Ryuji from following. They have business on the top floor. 

* * *

Everything was rapidly going to hell, Shido cant believe his eyes, automata all awakening and going rogue, lashing out at those who ruined their mortal lives, all because of the bad luck of that worthless kid awakening a model that should have been trash. They didn't have the right to be angry with him, he bought them all fairly from their parents. It wasn't his fault that making just one automata from their low mana blood resulted in their human bodies becoming nonfunctional. They were just commodities. 

Aside from that, the two shouldn't have been able to escape the scrap heap, but the dumbasses he had thrown that trash away didn't even bother taking his keycard, who does that? The P.R. nightmare already has him wanting to take preemptive aspirin, he might even have to pay compensation. Instead he pours himself a glass of the fine vintage he keeps in his drawer for business meetings. His office is protected by his finest security automata equipped with some less than legal modifications, it's fine, he'll pay a pittance if it's caught and pretend to remove them like before. There's no way that anyone would know the safeguard commands, so he rests easy...till his office door is bashed open so hard the hinges creak in protests. 

“Ryuji, meet my “Father” and “Creator”, Masayoshi Shido.” 

“What the..? How the hell are you still alive?! I personally watched as you breathed your last!”

The smile that splits Goro’s face is absolutely vicious, jagged mirror shards pointed at the man, ready to stab till what's reflected is a wet red lump. The wide window that showed off the cityscape stretching behind the man was no match for an automata’s strength, it wasn't even reinforced. Clearly Shido never thought someone would be bold enough to smash him through it and dangle him like a rag doll, must have put utmost confidence in security dolls that Goro himself had helped make. 

“Goro..?”

“Don't worry, he deserves it. For what he's done to everyone.” 

“No, I mean...you’re crying.” 

Its true, glistening drops flowing down his cheeks, seems his mortal heart still mourned the fact that he would never have the approval of the screaming man he could now hold up with just one hand. Well, that's alright, it's the same mortal heart that sings for vengeance despite the pain.

“Don't worry, I'm alright Ryuji.”

He lets go. And feels a rush of pain and joy as his once father, once creator’s cries fade away as he falls the long way to the bottom. Now he has a duty to fulfill, get his little Master out and find that cat loving friend of his in the chaos that's the lower floors. 

* * *

Kurusu had gotten himself one of Goro’s “Siblings” for himself, by some fortune and had managed to activate the soulless ones in order to secure a route of escape. They managed to meet up on the second floor, both automata resorting to carrying their Masters all the way back to the junkyard. Hifumi had been someone he hadn't really gotten to talk to much when either were alive, but her serious nature made it easy for them to talk. 

“Shiragiku”? Seriously? Seems that man had no taste to the very end.” 

“Tsubaki” too, it's like he wanted to add final insults to us.” 

“Well at least he's paste on the floor, that was like the 30th floor.”

“Good riddance. Akira was considered garbage by him, so he really was a fool that couldn't see the value in things.” 

Hifumi had chosen to remain by his side, and indeed stuck to him almost as much as the cat, both accompanying Akira on his deliveries. Of course this was after the illegally modified arm was replaced with one more akin to flesh and blood along with the rest of her body. Akira himself practically danced when his invitation to hang out outside the junkyard was finally accepted by Ryuji; seeing the bloodied keycard that had been taken from his father’s body had done wonders to his fear of the outside. Though it wasn't perfect, trauma like that cant be undone overnight, but that's what Goro is there for. A firm hand in his, reassuring praise at how well he's managing, and a warm body to hug tight at night. 

Things were going to be okay, and Goro will be there for him every step of the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shiragiku: white chrysanthemum, symbolizes death in many Asian cultures  
Tsubaki: Camilla, sometimes seen as bad luck to samurai
> 
> there will probably be an extra smut chapter later

**Author's Note:**

> Mentioned pairs in the beginning  
Haru and Yusuke as the baroness and painter  
Naoto and Yosuke as the prince and jester  
Minako and Akihiko as the sick girl and boxer  
Naoya and Kei Nanjo as the married couple (persona 1)


End file.
